It Takes a Village
by AgentMango
Summary: "It takes a village to raise a friend." Such is the philosophy of Parrotfish Haven, a small village located in the forests by the Outpost. One fateful night, however, an opportunity arose for the Inkling known as Agent 4... (T for swearing and minor violence)
1. Prologue

The scent of the night flowers drifted through the air. The water from the nearby stream seemed to trickle ever so delicately into a small pond. Out in this small corner of the world, a young Inkling looked up at the sky, her brilliant orange eyes watching the full moon in all of its glory. _Hero…_

That was the last word she remembered from her journey. Hero. The Inkling sighed as she looked down her phone, deliberately ignoring the many missed calls the decorated the lock screen. She sighed, setting down the phone and looking up at the sky once more. The click of a pair of geta made her glance, seeing a familiar face sit down beside her. "Hey, Marie…"

"Now what are you doing out here all by yourself, Agent 4?" Marie had questioned as she took a glance at the Inkling's disposition. "You're usually so energetic. Is something the matter?"

"No, it's just… Well…" Agent 4 gazed upwards at the moon once more. "... I'm a hero."

"Well, of course you are," Marie hummed. "Yet a wise man once said that the heroes of today must walk a lonely road."

"I get that, but…" Agent 4's features softened, and she looked down. "... I won't be able to face my team."

"Your team?"

Agent 4 nodded as she brushed her tentacles back. "... I made a promise to them. Way back when it first began. We… We would always tell each other what's going on," she said. "But now…"

"You feel like you broke your promise."

"Exactly," Agent 4 said as she deeply sighed. "I just wish that…"

The boom of a loud crash resounded throughout the small campsite, jolting the guards around to alert. Both Inklings could hear faint yelling, and with no hesitation, ran with the guards to investigate.

As the yelling got louder, Agent 4 could make out the conversation taking place. "... hands off of her, you son of a- GRAAGH!" A raspy voice called. Pushing her way through the crowd, Four caught sight of an Inkling and Octoling boy, one delivering severe punches to the other. A Charger nearby was abandoned, and curiously, an Octoling girl watched with horror as she was directed into the camp.

"Agent 3!?" Marie called as she rushed forward, yet her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. She had to think fast, she realized, lest both of them get severely injured. Considering the state of the Inkling atop the Octoling, Four rolled over and- as fast as she could- charged a shot with the abandoned sniping weapon.

"OI! Asshole!" She barked, and the Inkling quickly turned to see a fully charged burst of ink ready to fly into his head. "Of the Octoling! Now! Lest I bust a cap in your ass!"

It was almost as if he noticed Marie's presence, and he huffed as he retreated. The Octoling sat up, his face a bruised mess and his nose bleeding a signature purple ink. "Tch…"

Lowering the charger, Four set the weapon down as Marie ran over. "Agent 3!" She yelled out. "What are you doing!? I thought I told you to-"

A harsh glare came her way. "Told me to what? Not defend myself or an innocent when I get tackled down by an enemy!?" He barked, and he and Marie began bickering.

Looking downwards at the injured Octoling, Four was suddenly struck with a memory. He looked kind of like… "Lilikoi?"

"Who the fuck are you talking about?" Was the sharp response, causing Four to shiver. "That guy's long gone. Disappeared ages ago." His piercing eyes struck a chord with her for some reason, perhaps it was the deep green hue that reminded her of Kiwi. She was quiet for a moment before sighing.

"I… I apologize," she mouthed. "Guards, take him to a containment center. I'll be questioning him in the morning." She couldn't look him in the eye, instead opting to watch Marie and the Inkling resolve their argument. She sighed as she began walking towards the room Pascal had given her, bumping into a young Octoling. After nodding an apology, she entered her room and began to think over the night's events.

 _So that was Agent 3…_

… … … …

Pain rushed through the Octoling's back as he was thrown into the cell, glaring upwards at his captors. He could spot a familiar pair of striking blue eyes, yet when he tried to sit up, he screeched as his wounds caught up to him.

"Stay in here, Octoling, and wait for your questioning!" One of the guards barked, much to his dismay. The Octoling huffed as he managed to endure the pain, enough to sit up. The thud of boots hitting the ground as the guards left soon dulled, and the young Octoling growled as he pressed his fingers onto a now-swollen bruise.

"Fucking Inkling…" He cursed as he felt a small trail of blood drip from his nose. "Asshole…! Did he seriously…?" He winced at the sensation of something on his leg, only to find another ugly bruise there.

"Brother."

The voice was all too familiar as he looked up from his position, glaring. A young Octoling girl stood in front of him, her arms folded. "Tch, Cocoa," he began. "Never thought you'd go so soft so soon."

"Soft? So that's how you're describing it?" Cocoa bit. " 'Soft' refers to the fact that you got your ass kicked despite being way more experienced than me." He growled in response to her comment.

"So? I'd never expect someone who became an elite before me be seduced by that Inkling," he barked upwards, much to Cocoa's annoyance. "Besides, if I hadn't saved you, what do you think he could have done?"

"You're even more of an idiot then him if you think that," Cocoa huffed. "He's an ally. I trust him."

"That's what you said before you were disengaged at the Kelp Dome," the Octoling male growled. "Before you were decommissioned. Now tell me, am I the idiot for not having my suspicions?"

Cocoa was silent before she clenched her hand into a fist. "I suppose not," she began. "... I'll be turning in for the night. I have some business to conduct with my new colleagues…"

" _Captain_ Taiyaki."


	2. Chapter 1: The Inkling and the Octoling

Exhaustion racked at his body as Agent 3 practically fell onto his bed. A sting of pain rushed right through his leg as he tried to stand, forcing himself to limp to the kitchen to get some kind of sustenance. "Dammit…"

"I'm in pain, but I'll be- Grah!" Even shifting his leg seemed to be a root of excruciating pain, and his sister sighed. "Osmanthus," Three began. "I'll be fine. Promise."

"You aren't going to be fine, Brother," Osmanthus huffed as she began feeling for the wound. "... Looks like there's damaged cartilage here," she assessed. "And judging by your reaction, that Octoling really did a number on you."

Three looked away in response. "... I'm not explaining what happened."

"And I'm not asking," Osmanthus teased as she began to set his injured leg into a cast. "Besides, Pascal already talked to me when I asked if there were any injuries. I'll be seeing that Octoling next," she reported, looking up at her brother's face. "... Heh, girls don't like guys who've got bruises and black eyes."

"Quit it," Three barked as he felt the paste go onto his face. He shivered.

"It's some comfrey you brought back weeks ago," Osmanthus said. "It's a potent remedy for bruises. I mixed it with some witch hazel to speed up the process."

"Nngh… Thanks, sis," Three said as the paste went to his knuckles. "Cod… I'd never imagine an Octoling to be that rough. Usually, they're pushovers for me."

"For you, yeah," Osmanthus said. "But you shouldn't exactly underestimate them. You're a-"

He glared. "Don't use that word."

"Sorry," Osmanthus said. "Anyways, they were pretty difficult to take care of when I was working with the Cap'n. Heh, I was right to trust you to take care of things." She rubbed the younger's head, and he smiled.

"C-come on, you're giving me too much credit."

Osmanthus let out another chuckle as she leaned back. "... So." She smirked a little, eyeing up her brother. "I have a little… Matter, to address with you, as well~"

"I don't like the tone of your voice," Three immediately pointed out. "What is it?"

"It's about the newcomer you brought back with you," Osmanthus hummed. "And the newbie who almost splatted you during the fight."

"... Osmanthus, NO," Three immediately barked. "I am NOT in a relationship with them!"

"Oh, come on, I wasn't even gonna ask that~!" Osmanthus laughed as she playfully punched her brother's arm, him wincing in response. "... S-sorry."

"It's fine," Three replied. "But regardless, I. Am not. Either of them's. Boyfriend."

Osmanthus puffed her cheeks. "I told you I wasn't gonna ask you that, but since you instigated the conversation…" There was a mischievous glimmer in her eyes, and she raised an eyebrow. "So. You're just "friends," then?"

"OSMANTHUS!" Three yelled as his cheeks flushed, and his older sister couldn't help but burst laughing. "It's not like that! I don't know them that personally!"

Oh, how he missed these moments. Not really.

… … …

Agent 4 continued to ponder the fight she had witnessed. How Agent 3 seemed to be handling it fine before she intervened. Marie's shocked face, the Octoling who looked way too similar to Lilikoi, that other strange Octoling that she bumped into…

A knock at the door snapped her out of her ponderings, however, and in came a stunning young Octoling with flowers in her tentacles. "Oh, Pascal," she greeted warmly. "Is something the matter?"

"A few things, actually," Pascal noted. "You have room for two more people in here, right?" Her sheepish tone didn't go unnoticed by the Inkling.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, um…" Pascal hummed. "I want to house the two newbies here. You saw one of them," she said. "His name's Taiyaki, as his sister explained."

"Taiyaki…" The name was familiar to her. "So that's our new prisoner's name…"

"Precisely," Pascal said. "As for his sister, she's a young Octoling Agent 3 brought back." It was then that she noticed the young lady behind Pascal, a pretty young thing. Her eyes were the color of amethysts. "She was christened to be Agent 8."

Agent 8. "So she met the Cap'n..." Agent 4 commented. "Well, if she's cool with me, I'm cool with her staying," she added on. "Did she eat yet?"

"食べますのばんごはんですか?"* Pascal asked the Octoling, and she nodded her head. "You don't have to cook."

"Whew, thank cod," Four sighed. "I can't waste any more precious resources. Tomorrow, I've got resource gathering duties, right?"

"Yes, you and Agent 3," Pascal replied.

Something about the thought made her body feel light and airy, but she pushed it away. Perhaps it was her incessant need to make new friends after… No, she best not think about it. Better to change the subject. "Does she know Inkling? I don't want to have to-"

"I remember learning the language," Agent 8 spoke up. "S-sorry, Pascal was insistent on speaking Octoling…"

"... Oh," Four said. "Well, that makes things leagues easier. You can share the bathroom with me, alright?"

"Sure," Agent 8 hummed, bowing. "I look forward to staying with you, Agent 4!"

"How do you know my alias…?"

"Pascal told me," Eight said with a giggle. "I'll be fine. I won't bother you too much. And I'll make sure my brother keeps his hands off you and Agent 3." Her tone was teasing, but there was another, indescribable darkness to the statement.

 _What does she mean by keep his hands off me…?_ "Well, that's good to hear," Four replied, waving to Pascal as she left. "Come on, sit down. You want anything?"

"No, I'll be fine," Eight kindly said, and as she walked towards to sit, Four caught a glimpse of an odd scar on the Octoling's back.

It must have been nothing… right?

… … …

The cell he was in was not pretty. Taiyaki knew that being captured was not enjoyable, but this? This was just ridiculous. No comforts. No food. Nothing.

And from the warmth coming from outside, morning must have come. He wondered where that damned Inkling was. Yet the noise of the cell doors opening drew his attention to see the exact face he was wondering about. "Tch, I was wondering when you'd show up, _Inkling._ "

Agent 4 glared. "Look," she began. "You must be Taiyaki. Agent 8's brother."

"So that's what she's called now, huh? Agent 8?" Taiyaki coldly said. "She's so soft as to shack up with the Squidbeak Splatoon…? Tch, I'm disappointed."

"Cut the annoyances," Agent 4 huffed. "Tell me why you're here. You might as well cooperate, seeing as how Pascal put you under my custody alongside your sister."

Taiyaki glared, growling to himself. "... Look, I just wanted to see my little sister and tell her about our brother."

"And yet you instigated a fight with _Agent 3_ , the one who nearly killed her?"

"From what I was seeing, he wasn't trying to fight her!" Taiyaki barked, much to Agent 4's surprise. "In fact, quite the opposite! The ass was trying to get her in his-"

Agent 4's glare cut off the Octoling as she reached for her Dualies. "Another word about my superior and you won't be walking out of this place alive, understand?"

All she got was a scoff in response, and she went back to a more relaxed position. "... That's all I had to know," Agent 4 said. "I'll let the guards know that you are to be escorted to my quarters. Your sister is already setting up both of your rooms, and you'll be fed and have somewhere to rest. I'll be taking my leave." She turned around, her boots hitting the ground as the door to the cell closed.

Taiyaki hummed, then sighed as he looked to the ceiling. He felt his injured nose, wincing. She was the only one who actually show kindness to him… No, no, she probably only wanted him gone. Or for her own personal pleasures, like all the Inkling girls he had met along his way. "Typical Inklings…"

*: Octolings speak Japanese. The phrase roughly translates to "Did you eat dinner?"


	3. Chapter 2: Herb Gathering

A/N: This is how chapters involving heavy character interaction will go from now on; lil' misadventures involving the two bonding and growing closer to each other as result. Enjoy~!

... ... ...

As she exited the containment center, Agent 4 caught sight of Pascal, Marie, Agent 8, and Agent 3 talking among each other. She gulped for a moment, stopping as she caught sight of the more experienced agent. Taking a deep breath, she approached the four.

"Hm?" Marie peeped out, turning and setting her umbrella on her shoulder before chuckling. "Ah, Agent 4. How did the interrogation go?"

"It could've gone better, that I'll say, Four responded as she crossed her arms, sighing. "I barely got any information from jerk. Ugh, I'll have to interrogate him when I get back." Her eyes had a hint of annoyance to them. Then, remembering who was nearby, cleared her throat. "Anyways, you must be Agent 3," she warmly greeted. "Marie told me plenty about you. It's finally good to see you in person, Sir!"

"Ah, she was just speaking to me about you as well," Agent 3 cooly replied, which had an odd effect on Four. "She said that you were battling in my place while I was aiding Agent 8."

"Exactly~" Four chirped. "She mentioned that you're quite strong, so I look forward to working with you today!" She brightly smiled, and could hear Marie chuckle for some unknown reason.

"Speaking of which," Pascal piped up, and Three and Four drew their attention to her. "You two are heading out to the Raywing City today. We've gotten reports from the Survey Corps that herds of boar and elk have been seen there. We need you to cull their numbers and hopefully bring back meat and herbs."

"Understood," both Inklings replied.

"Be careful, though," Pascal warned. "The boars there are known to be a little, well… territorial."

"I'll make sure they're both on guard," Marie mused, glancing at Three and Four. "It's their first venture together, so I'll be there to guide Agent 4, as usual."

Not noticing that she was holding her breath, Four let out a relieved sigh at the fact. "Thank you, Marie," Three had piped up, turning and starting off towards the exit to the camp. "Now, then. We don't have that much daylight to waste. Agent 4?"

"Coming!"

… … …

 _Cloudy skies today_ , Four noted to herself as she and Three trekked through the forests to find the flooded city. As the canopy of trees cleared, both found themselves running towards the city. Four's short legs couldn't keep up with Three's elegant stride, and at times she had to call for him to slow down. She caught her breath for a moment before running after her ally.

"Condition yourself!" He barked after they had to stop for the fifth time to let Four catch her breath. "If you can't keep up with me, you can't chase an enemy," he added on as he turned, and the intercom buzzed in their headsets.

"Agent 3? Agent 4?" Marie piped up. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Three spoke. "Are we close to the destination?"

"In a few miles," Marie said. "You should see a pack of boar nearby."

Four scoured the region to look, then spotted a herd of boar. Some were young, others were old, but all were being lead by the largest one in the group. "Right there!" She called.

"Good eye," Marie praised. "You wanna go after the males."

"The males?" Three asked. "... Ah, so the females can raise their young."

"Precisely," Marie spoke. "This place is an ecosystem, after all; we're not at the top of the food chain. Be careful."

"We will, promise," Four hummed as the channel shut off. "So, shall we?"

Three nodded in response. "There should be some hunting weapons we can use nearby, left by some of the guards. Follow me, and keep up!" He called as he dashed off, Four running right behind him.

"Wait up!" She called after a bit, losing sight of her friend. "... Agent 3, Sir?"

… … ...

Hours passed.

Three had thought Four simply couldn't keep up with him, and here he was, sitting and tinkering with the crossbow in his hands as he waited for her. Nearby were a garden of herbs the village had grown, and some elk began munching on them. Quickly, Three shot one of them in the heart- a large buck. "That should be good for the night, at least…" He mused. The intercom flared to life, a signature _brzzt_ in his ear. He immediately know who it was.

"Yes, Marie?" Three spoke, hauling the buck over his shoulders and leaving it by the crossbow and supplies.

"Hey, have you tried contacting Agent 4 yet?" The idol asked.

"No, why?"

"She isn't responding to me…"

"If she's not responding, then her headset's probably off. Simple as that," Three hummed. "She probably found somewhere peaceful and took a nap."

"You know, if she took a nap, she'd be back at base," Marie replied. "Can you go look for her for me? I've got my hands tied with Taiyaki and Agent 8."

Three sighed. "If she's napping somewhere, you owe me a meal."

"Deal." With that, the intercom shut off, and Three began to go back the way he came. She probably got lost, found somewhere nice to lay down, and went right to sleep.

As he traced his steps, Three felt that something was… off. Footprints, obviously not his, lead astray. As he followed the odd trail, he began hearing the huffs and puffs of a boar. And, turning the corner, it took him all he had not to snicker at the scene before him.

On the ground was Four, shakily holding a crossbow in her arms as she backed to a tree, the large boar they saw earlier breathing down her. "N-nice, Boary…" She peeped out, squeaking as the boar pinned her to a tree. It was not happy.

"Four!" Three called. "What the hell is go-"

"A little help here!" Four yelled back as the boar's tusks inched a little too close to her arm. "Please!"

Nearby was a stray shot, probably a misfire from Four's crossbow. Three set the arrow into his crossbow, aiming and shooting at the boar to kill it. Four ducked under as the boar's massive tusks grazed her head, her eyes dazed and confused as she ran over to hug Three. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouuuuu!"

"H-hands off!" Three called as he pushed the younger away, noting her lack of a headset. "What are you doing here?" His gaze was piercing and cool, yet Four didn't seem phased. In fact, it reminded her of the looks Marie would give her when she'd fail a mission.

Four sighed, rubbing her arm after a bit. "... I thought that if I got that boar I'd be able to bring back enough for the whole village," she admitted, looking away. "You saw how horrible that went."

She didn't even notice it until Three brought it up. "You look so downcast," he noted. "There must be more to it."

"... It's nothing other than that, sir," Four said after a few moments of silence. "Come on. Let's go gather some herbs and be on our way." She tried maintaining her usual cheerful demeanor, yet the tone fell flat as she and Three began to walk towards the herb garden.

… … …

As they were picking herbs, Three heard his intercom flare to life with Marie on the other end. "Agent 3," she began. "Is Agent 4 alright?"

"Perfectly fine," Three spoke as he turned to see Four gathering marigold and aloe vera. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering," Marie said. "It's nice to know that she's alright, considering her experience level."

"Well, I can assure you, she's fine," Three said. "Although… Something may be bothering her."

"Then ask her what's wrong," Marie bluntly said.

"I-" Before he could continue, Marie cut off the channel, evidenced by the fritz. He sighed, looking at Four as she continued to pick through the herbs. "... Hey," he called.

"Yeah? We going yet? I've got plenty of marigold, chamomile, and aloe!" Agent 4 chirped, smiling brightly. "I even found some herbs and spices for cooking~!"

 _Well, she certainly shifted gears…_ Three thought, then sighed. "We're heading back at sundown," he said calmly, humming. "Try and gather as much as you can."

"Yessir!" Four chirped as she went back to work, Three looking onwards as she happily began gathering more herbs. Following her lead, his eyes would occasionally drifted to her, hoping he'd get another chance to talk to her. Yet, the time passed by quickly. Soon enough, the two had to return back.

Four was cheerfully walking beside him as the two began going back. She attempted to make no conversation, just skipping along the path home. As they approached the village, though, she seemed to notice something. "... Yo, Three," she called, and the older stopped in his tracks to look behind. She kneeled on the ground, smiling at a small patch of flowers.

"... What are you doing?" Three questioned as he turned, and Four giggled.

"Picking flowers, silly!" She teased with a warm smile. "See? There are daisies, brilliant red roses… Ah!" Her eyes drifted to a pink flower nearby. "Oh, these are my favorite! Carnations~!" She chirped as she began collecting some.

Three sighed. "Look, we need to get back before Pascal and Marie get worried," he advised. "We can't spend time on… ugh, flowers."

Four puffed up her cheeks. "Oh, excuse me for wanting to at least enjoy myself a little!" She huffed. "We got seperated, I almost got murdered by a boar, and on top of that, I didn't get any information from that Octoling you beat up last night. At least let me have this luxury!" She went back to picking her flowers, and Three once more sighed.

Marie was gonna kill him if he didn't bring her back, and he doubt that she knew the way, considering the previous incident. "Hurry up," he barked.

"We have plenty of daylight hours left, Mr. Hero~!" Four teased. "Hey, what's your favorite flower? I'll go find you some~!"

"... I don't have a particular favorite," Three said. "And besides, you can't get-"

Too late, she was already running off. "Hey! Get back here!" Three called as he ran after her. "The forest is too big! You're gonna get lost!" He said as he bumped into something small. Four was standing right there, her eyes lost. "Ugh, thank cod you didn't… Four?"

"They're beautiful…" Four said, and in the darkness, Three could catch a glimpse of shining white flowers dotting the meadow. The experience was short lived, however, as he grabbed her wrist.

"Come on, let's go. Flower viewing can wait until we can have a break," he sternly called, and Four sighed as he lead her back through the forest. When he glanced back at her, he could see the disappointment in her eyes, yet decided to pay no mind until they were at the entrance to the village. Then, he stopped to gaze at her, only to look away and remember his saying. "We'll deliver the herbs and the meat to Pascal," he said as he lead her inside. "From there, we can both return to our quarters for the night."

"Yes, sir," Four spoke, straightening herself and beginning to walk to Pascal's home.

"And another thing," Three called before she could get too far off. "... You don't have to call me "Sir" if you don't want to. Three is fine."

She blinked for a few moments, then warmly smiled, giggling. "Alright~! Three it is!" With that, she started off, Three right behind her. He sneezed after a few moments.

"Eh?" Four piped up. "Someone must be talking about you!" She chirped.

"... Perhaps," was all Three said. When they got to Pascal's room, he saw Marie there, the two engaged deeply in conversation. It was almost is if they hadn't noticed them, but when Marie gave him a look of warmth, he knew that something was up.


	4. Chapter 3: Like Tea Without Honey

Returning to her quarters, Agent 4 flopped right onto the couch in exhaustion. She let out a sigh, remembering Three's words from earlier. "... Maybe he isn't so bad after all…" She muttered to herself before hearing a raspy voice nearby.

Curiosity made the young Inkling look around for a moment, then remembered the spare bedrooms she was given. Cautiously, she knocked on the door, and heard the voice sigh. "Who is it?"

"The girl who's sheltering you!" Four huffed.

She heard a sigh, then a click as the door opened. Taiyaki leaned against the doorway, and he looked much better than this morning. Dressed in denim and deep blue flannel he seemed to carry an air of elegance. No, elegance was more of Three's style. He seemed to ooze an air of _dominance_. And from her eyewitness testimony, he was dangerous.

"What do you want, Inkling?" He said with a piercing bite, and Four looked into his room to see some of his bags still unpacked.

"I just got back and I wanted to check on how you were settling," Four spoke, though her confidence seemed to waver. "And judging by your words from earlier, it seems that you're having some trouble."

"Tch, I'll be fine," Taiyaki huffed. "I don't need any help from you, Pipsqueak."

Four tensed at the insult, resisting the urge not to blow. "Fine then," she said as she turned. "I'll be heading to take a shower, then." She began walking away, and caught a glimpse of Taiyaki shutting the door in response.

She could've sworn she saw him clench his fists at her cold tone.

… … …

The shower was the best she ever had, she realized. After having not taken a bath for months (seriously, why was there no working plumbing at Tentakeel Outpost?), it felt damn good to have nice, hot water again.

However, the feeling was short lived. Taiyaki's voice broke through the quaint silence of the scene with a loud curse, followed by a crash of what sounded like fine china. "THAT'S HOT!"

"B-Brother, calm down!" She could hear Agent 8 call, and when she got to the kitchen, she snickered a little. On the ground was some piping hot black tea, as well as shattered porcelain. "We need to clean up before-" Eight was cut off when she noticed Four's presence, and she gulped.

"Yo," the orange Inkling greeted, smirking. "Quite a mess ya got there. It'd be a shame if someone were to step on the broken cup." She casually walked over, her slippers on, and began cleaning up the mess. "What happened here?"

"Mr. Smarty Pants right here decided to make some tea," Eight huffed with a sigh. "You can tell how it turned out."

Four snickered as she looked up at Taiyaki, his face flushed with she presumed was embarrassment. "So, you tried to make your own drink?" She questioned as she threw the shards away, leaning on the kitchen counter. "That could have gone way better. You have to let it cool, _honey~"_ Oh, his reaction was _delicious_.

"Honey!?" Taiyaki repeated, his face a dark shade of violet. "I don't think we're on that level, Sweetheart!"

"If we're not on "that level," then why did you just call me Sweetheart?" Four's smirk grew wider, and it was so difficult to resist laughing.

"I- Well- IT'S A DAMNED HABIT!" Taiyaki barked out, and Four broke her restraint, laughing. Soon enough, Eight began to laugh as well. "I… W-what's so funny!?" Taiyaki immediately demanded.

"S-sorry, Brother!" Eight soon said as she composed herself. "Seeing you so flustered is just…"

"It's hilarious!" Four laughed out, taking deep breaths to regain her own composure. "I just… I couldn't help myself, sorry!"

Taiyaki's cheeks puffed up, and he glared at Four in response. "Inklings are such jerks…!" He growled as he folded his arms. He looked almost like a small child that couldn't play with their favorite toy. Four couldn't help but be taken aback a bit; memories of her first days as leader of Tropical Inkadise flooded her mind, as she peacefully sighed.

"Look," she began, warmth in her voice. "Do you want me to make a cup for you?"

"No," Taiyaki huffed.

"Brother, you just-"

"I know I said I wanted one, but I'm not accepting help from an Inkling, of all people," Taiyaki said, only to hear the noise of water running as he looked to Four. The girl dipped the bag of tea into the cup of scalding hot water, opening and shifting through the cabinets soon after. Eight seemed to be entranced. A bottle of honey laid in the top, and as Four set the thick liquid inside the tea, she mixed in a few ice cubes from the freezer.

"See, the trick is to add the sweetener while the tea's still hot," she advised, handing the cup off to Taiyaki. "Go on, try it."

"Sorry, Sweetheart, but I'll have to kindly decline," Taiyaki growled. "I don't accept gifts from Inklings."

"This "Inkling" is the one who's keeping a roof over your head, you know," Four bit, resting a hand atop her hip.

Eight couldn't help but chuckle a little. "If he's not gonna drink it, then I can," she said, and Taiyaki eagerly handed the cup to her. She took a sip, blinking after a few moments.

"Well?"

"It's… It's actually really good," the Octoling girl commented with a giggle. "I'd imagine this to be the perfect remedy to a sore throat, along with some hearty soup."

"Well, if you want that, you have to look towards adding in citrus to the tea," Four mused, then eyed up the Octoling's elder brother. "... You sure you don't want to even have a little sip, Tai?"

"Oh, so that's my nickname now? Tai? Sorry, I don't answer to pet names," Taiyaki huffed, puffing out some hot air.

Four hummed. "Suit yourself," she said after a bit, turning to make herself a cup of tea. "It's delicious. Now, then, what to make for dinner…?" The Inkling girl began musing over her thoughts, although got distracted by the knock of the door. "Who is it?"

"Agent 3!" Called a masculine voice, and Four let out a small squeak.

"Coming, Si- I mean, Three!" The younger called back, only to be beat by Agent 8. Glaring at Taiyaki, her orange eyes were hostile. "Don't you dare try anything that could hurt him, you hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah," Taiyaki huffed.

"Good," Four said in response, hearing the door open as she went back to a cheerful demeanor at the sight of the more experienced agent. "I thought you had enough of me after today," she teased with a giggle.

"Shut up. If I didn't come to see you after that little stunt you pulled, Marie was going to chew me out for it," Three huffed as he made himself comfortable, grunting. "Gah, shit…!"

Eight puffed up her cheeks.

"S-sorry," Three quickly apologized as he sat, lifting his leg onto the coffee table. Four looked back at her guest, letting out a little hum.

"You okay there?" She asked. "Pulled a muscle today? Or was it…?"

"The salve Osmanthus gave me must have worn off…" Three growled. "I'll just… G-go over to her place and ask for more…!" He let out another growl of pain, glaring at Taiyaki. The Octoling glared back, and Four sighed as she went to preparing a meal.

"You know, you have to be more careful," she advised after a few moments of silence. "You two got pretty roughed up last night… well, from what I saw, that is." The scent of a hearty beef stew filled the room.

She soon heard Three began to shift, and turned to see him standing. "Oh, no you don't!" The girl quickly called, pushing him down to the couch. "You're just gonna make it worse if you move around too much. Can you relax for just one moment?" She huffed. "... Look, I'll call Osmanthus for you after dinner. She's gotta come over for my own check up anyways," she added on.

"But-"

"No buts!" Four pushed. "For now, you need to rest your leg and your body," she insisted. "No moving around until Osmanthus comes, got it?"

Three let out a groan in response, Four going back to work. The stew was nearly done cooking, with the beef being nice and tender. Nearby, she could feel Taiyaki's gaze burning through her body. "... You know," she began. "I'd feel better if I wasn't being watched."

With that, she felt her own body's tenseness relieved. As she set out bowls for the four of them, Four noticed something odd with Taiyaki. "... Are you not gonna eat?" She asked.

"I'm fine," Taiyaki huffed, only for his stomach to growl. Eight giggled nearby.

"Your stomach says otherwise," she teased. "You should eat too, you know. Big day tomorrow."

"What does that mean?"

"Seeing as how you're out of the cell," Three piped up. "You'll need to start looking for your role in the village."

"We each have a part to play, after all," Four added on. "Physically adept fighters like me and Three are field workers, so we go out and gather supplies and food."

"While mechanics such as I work on maintaining the plumbing and electrical systems," Eight added on. "Heh, Pascal knew exactly where to put me when we went for a tour around the village."

"That begs the question," Three chimed in once more.

"What are you good at?"


	5. Chapter 4: Brewing Tension

"What am I… Good at…?"

Taiyaki repeated the question with a hum as he looked downwards, eyes clouding up. Such an… odd, question to ask. "... Well, I don't really know," he admitted. "I was always hopping around, so I didn't have time to settle on a profession like Eight of Dorayaki."

"Dorayaki?" Four piped up.

"Our younger brother," Eight added in. "He was always more inclined to medical work, so he was in the medical bay. I was usually in the maintenance and R&D field." She hummed. "But… You never…"

"... I don't like talking about those days," Taiyaki huffed. "You know that."

"Sorry," Eight said with a sigh.

Taiyaki could hear Three hum to himself. "... Well? Does Mr. Prodigy have anything to say?" He demanded, earning a hostile glare from the experienced agent.

"Call me that again and you're dead, _Octoling,_ " Three barked.

"Oh? Have I struck a nerve with you, _Prodigy_?" His voice became a purr, and Taiyaki's smirk appeared. "I bet you can't even throw a punch right now."

"Taiyaki…!" Eight called, only to gulp as she looked to Four.

"Why, you…!" The younger agent growled. "Don't you DARE talk to him like that!"

"Four, calm down…" Eight called.

"And, what are you gonna do about it, Pipsqueak~?" Taiyaki said, his smirk widening. "You're too small and delicate to even lay a scratch."

"I. AM NOT. DELICATE!" Four yelled, clenching her hand into a fist as she bared her fangs. "In fact, I'd probably could go up against you right now!"

"Prove it, Inkling!" Taiyaki barked as he stood, Four readying a punch in either self defense or aggression. Taiyaki was doing the same, ready for a good, clean, hit…

" _ **STOP IT!"**_

Eight's voice broke the tension, and everyone was focused on her. Her deep blue eyes were sharpened to a glare, and her shoulders having tensed. "Both of you! STOP!"

It took all of Four's power to obey her command, reducing her aggression to a glare at the Octoling. "Tch…"

"I had hoped both of you could get along," Eight huffed out. "You two have barely known each other for a day, though, and yet you're arguing like a damned married couple!"

"MARRIED!?" Taiyaki yelled.

"Not the point, Brother," Eight barked. "There's no use fighting at this point! The war's over, and…"

Silence fell over the room like a thick curtain. Four sighed as she looked away. She rubbed her elbow, her eyes dark. There was nothing said, and eventually, Taiyaki left to his room.

… … …

Time seemed to fly by for the Octoling, and morning soon arrived. There he was, lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He sighed, hearing a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"Cocoa!" Eight called from behind. "You up, Brother?"

"No, shit," the elder said, only to hear the door open and his sister step in.

"... Are… Are you still mad about last night?"

"Nah, I completely forgot about the fact that that bitch of an Inkling almost punched me," Taiyaki said as he turned to his side. "Cod, I hate her already…"

"Yet you barely got to know her," Eight said. "Who knows, maybe she's sweet. You just riled her up a little."

"I'd rather not rile her up, if you mean it in that way," Taiyaki barked.

"You know what I meant, Brother," Eight had said with a sigh. "I believe she's a nice person deep down. Maybe you should give her a chance."

"Tch, as if," Taiyaki huffed. "I'd rather not spend another moment with her. I don't want anything to do with her."

He could hear his sister sigh. "Fine, if you say so," she said. "Just… Just go get dressed. Pascal is putting you with the Harvesters for now, so wear something comfortable that you can move around in."

"Fine, fine…"

"One affirmation will suffice," Eight said.

"Sis, you know how much I hate that phrase," Taiyaki huffed. "Don't you dare say it again."

Eight let out a scoff, turning and beginning to start away. As he watched, he sighed as well as he began changing into something more comfortable. It was the same outfit he wore the last day, and as he stepped out of his room, he caught a glimpse of the same Inkling that had tended to him tending to Agent 3. He shot a quick glare at Three before stepping out into the village, the scent of morning dew filling his senses. Yet, one question still plagued him.

 _What am I good at, exactly…?_

… … …

The peaceful slumber of the camp was oddly easing, and Taiyaki felt his body drifting down into the makeshift plaza. Already were some of the village members helping out with setting up the small market of goods. Others were working on maintenance, and some were organizing their foodstuffs.

Yet the burning stares of some of the villagers started to become more and more apparent. He would occasionally hear whispers of the incident, but he brushed them off. They weren't anything new.

"Taiyaki?"

A cheerful voice broke through the silence, and he turned to see Agent 4 alongside Pascal. The male scoffed. "What do you want, Pipsqueak?"

"I want you to stop calling me that, first of all!" Four bit, glaring. "Second, I'm sadly going to have to be your trainer. You better not even think about screwing up-"

"Four," Pascal scolded, quieting the Inkling, much to Taiyaki's pleasure and her chagrin. "I already know what happened between you two last night. Don't you dare try and injure each other, I've already had enough of that."

Four shot a glare at Taiyaki, and sighed. "Fine," she said. "Regardless, I'm not going to throw a punch unless he punches first."

"Ditto," Taiyaki said, his tone having a cold bite to it. "Not that I expect the least bit of kindness from you, Pipsqueak."

"Gr…! I'm sorry, but I don't answer to that name, _Honey…_!"

"What did you just call me…!?"

"TAIYAKI. FOUR," Pascal barked. "Quit it right now and focus. Both of you are heading to Mudfrog Swamp to gather some fish, along with herbs such as chervil and gayfeather roots," she added on. "I trust you two aren't gonna be at each other's throats half the trip?"

"Yes, Pascal…" Both Inkling and Octoling said, glaring at each other.

"Good," Pascal said. "Taiyaki, if you can work well with her, I may consider putting you with the Harvesters permanently," she said. "Just… Make sure you both come back in one piece.

Nodding in affirmation, Taiyaki clenched his hand into a fist.

 _I can't believe I'm working with_ her… _!_


	6. Chapter 5: Fishing for Alliances

The road towards the swamps wasn't all that interesting, Four had realized. No conversation. No little glances at each other. Not even a single attempt at making conversation. At least the previous day, the silence was somewhat bearable by the fact that it was her first outing with her superior, and he was pretty easy on the eyes, she had to admit. Those hardened, yet subtle, muscles… Those gorgeous blue eyes... The vibrant blues of his natural coloration*… His calm, level headed demeanor…

 _Focus, Four. Don't let your hormones cloud your judgement, dammit…!_ The girl reminded herself. _He's just an ally… Just an ally..._

It was then that she noticed the ground slowly becoming thicker, and she also noticed that they were getting closer and closer to the wetlands. It started to get harder and harder to walk; it almost felt like getting stuck in Octarian ink, to Four at least. Taiyaki seemed to be fine as they trudged through the muddy waters. Then again, he was way taller than her… Were all Octolings this tall? Maybe she could ask Three- Wait, no, he wouldn't know. Maybe Eight. Or even… No, he'd probably never answer it.

Eventually, they got to the site, noting the fishing poles and gathering baskets set out for them. "Must've been a recently visited locale," Four mused. "The baskets seem to be new…"

"Tch, no use worrying about the details, Sweetheart," Taiyaki said. "I'll go look for the herbs."

"Brave of you to volunteer, Honey," Four teased.

"Will you PLEASE stop calling me that?"

"Fine, fine. You've earned it, since you haven't called me Pipsqueak in five hours," the Agent giggled as she pulled at the zipper to her jacket, throwing the article of clothing to the side as she worked on taking off her boots. The rustling of bushes let her know that Taiyaki had left to look for the herbs they needed. She was alone.

Wading through the murky water, Four made sure that she didn't go too deep. Don't want to risk… "B-best not to finish that thought…" She muttered to herself as she began searching for fish. A splash caught her attention, and she quickly dove for the presumed fish. No dice. Another splash drew her attention elsewhere, and she dove for that one as well… only to find a piece of plastic.

This was gonna take a long time.

… … …

Each splash got louder and louder as Four became more and more frustrated with her attempts at fishing. She dove for another fish, and that was a miss. There was another fish nearby her legs, she dove for that one. Miss again. "Gr…!"

From all her splashing, she didn't notice the rustle of the bushes as Taiyaki emerged from his herb collecting. In fact, the splashes were so frequent that she accidentally splashed the muddy water onto his clothes. "Oi! Watch it!" Taiyaki called, and Four quickly tensed.

"S-sorry, sorry!" She called back, then heard another splash in the water. She quickly grabbed at it, water now flinging onto her face as she coughed a bit. Still no fish. "Stupid fish! Ugh!"

A snicker came from behind her, and she quickly glared to see Taiyaki holding back a laugh. "What's so funny!?"

"Your frustration," the Octoling sassed. "Cod, it reminds me of how frustrated my sister would get when she'd fail a simulation. Hilarious~"

"Oh, why you…! You're such a jerk!" Four yelled, puffing up her cheeks. "I was going to ask you for help, but if you're just going to laugh at me, then I'd rather figure it out on my own!"

"Keep your voice down, Sweetheart, you'll scare away the fish," Taiyaki said. "That is, if there are any fish around."

Scoffing, Four turned away as she began trying to catch fish again, with no luck. The hours ticked on, and Taiyaki was forced to watch her fail time and time again. As the afternoon grew to evening, the two were forced to go back with no seafood.

"... This sucks…" Four whined as she helped to carry some of the excess herbs back. "I caught zero fish, and in the process I got all my clothes dirty from all the damn water I splashed up…"

"Your fault," Taiyaki bluntly said. "If you haven't decided to use your bare hands, you wouldn't be in this mess," he said. "Although, I will admit, it was kind of funny."

Four was silent for a moment, then cracked a smile. "... You're right."

"What?"

"It was kind of funny," she admitted, then let out a breathy giggle. She gently brushed her tentacle-like hair back, her eyes having a small spark of enjoyment. "In fact, I probably look ridiculous right now. Don't you agree?"

"Definitely," Taiyaki said. "Cod, you're a mess. Ms. Idol is probably gonna freak when she sees you like this."

"Not if I wash up before seeing her~" Four chirped. "You should probably do the same as well. I mean, would you want your sister seeing you like that?"

"I guess not," Taiyaki mused. The more they grew closer to the village, the more they began to talk. It started with the two simply laughing about their mistakes; from Taiyaki mistaking the chervil for parsley, to joking even more about Four's sorry attempt to catch fish. Something struck a chord with her, however; it was an odd strike to the heart, yet she just assumed it was her settling from the adrenaline rush that came with the exciting activity of catching fish.

They had soon reached the entrance to the village, and Four warmly smiled at Taiyaki. "So," she began. "Let's go talk to Pascal. After, we can go wash up, okay?"

"Fine, fine," Taiyaki said with a light chuckle. "All these herbs are getting harder to carry."

"Oh, quit whining," Four teased as she happily skipped into the village. "Come on! Hurry up!"

"Coming!" And in his voice, she swore she heard the smallest hint of excitement as he ran to walk beside her.

… … …

By the time they had truly returned to their quarters, Four had noted that Three and Eight were having a nice chat over dinner. "We're back~" She chirped as she walked in, Eight staring at them both in amazement.

"By Cod, you two are a mess!" She called, drawing a sheepish giggle from the Inkling girl.

"Heh, let's just say… Well…" She rubbed the back of her head, then sighed. "... We didn't catch any fish."

"Correction, you didn't catch any fish," Taiyaki chimed in, and Four glared at him. "What's with that look?"

"You didn't have to say it was me specifically, you know," Four deadpanned, then sighed. "Ahem, anyways, we're gonna get washed up."

"Three already cooked dinner, so you don't have to cook any extra," Eight said, warmth in her eyes as she watched Four walk to the bathroom. Taiyaki sat down, sighing.

"I suggest you get off the couch before you get it dirty, Octoling," Three said, humming. Taiyaki glared at him for a moment, then sighed as he pulled up a chair.

"Wow, I didn't think you were actually obedient," Eight snarked, smirking. "You have really changed, Brother."

"Shut up," Taiyaki huffed. "I just don't want to get kicked out into the wilderness."

"Yeah, cause like hell you'll survive," Three said.

"That's… harsh," Eight said, glaring at her friend. "Play nice, lest you get hurt even more."

"Fine," Three said, drinking some of his tea as the silence fell over the room. It lasted for a few moments, the shower in the bathroom running. For a moment, he could hear his sister leaving to her room, perhaps to work on something for Pascal. As the silence continued, Taiyaki could feel Three's burning gaze staring at him.

"... Let's address the elephant in the room," Taiyaki broke. "I. Do not. Like you."

"Ditto, Octoling," Three said as he set down his tea.

"Tch, the name's Taiyaki," the male barked, narrowing his eyes at the Inkling boy.

"Oh, I know," Three said. "I'll start calling you by name when you earn it."

"You arrogant little…!" Taiyaki barked. "I don't like your attitude."

"Me neither," Three responded, his blue eyes flashing with annoyance. "I'll have you know that if you ever try and hurt Eight or Four in any way… I'll see to your removal."

"And what of my removal? You don't have all the power in the world, as much as you arrogant Inklings like to think."

"Arrogant…? Us? You're the ones who dared to go after something that isn't yours, let alone such a precious resource like the Zapfish!"

"Only because-"

The sound of the door opening made both Inkling and Octoling quiet. Eight and Four were staring at them, both seeming to have been in a deep conversation. "Are you two okay out here…?" Eight asked, her eyes flickering with concern.

"We're… We're fine," Three reluctantly answered, glaring daggers at Taiyaki as the Octoling stood and began to shower. Four sat with Eight, then sighed.

Silence fell through the room once more, Eight handing Four a glass of tea. Three's eyes was very much alert, and she heard him sigh. "... Four," he began.

"Huh? Yes, Sir?"

"Will you quit- Ugh… Nevermind," Three began. "I want you to stay the hell away from the Octoling, you understand?"

Four's eyes flashed with concern. "Why, though?"

"I'm… I'm suspicious of him. I've had this nagging feeling when he was out with you," Three admitted.

"Three, you're either jealous of Taiyaki or it's some kind of intuition."

"I'm banking on intuition," Three said. "I've barely known Four, so I don't think I'd be jealous if someone interacts with a person I just met."

Eight hummed. "If you say so," she began. "But, regardless, does my brother seem like that much of a threat?"

"... It seems so," Four said. "If… If Three can sense that he's a danger, then I'll trust his judgement. No matter what the case."

"Naive girl…" Three muttered. "That wide eyed innocence is gonna get you killed someday," he added on. "But if you trust my judgement, then I won't stop you. Just… be careful."

"I will, promise," Four said, and felt a sting in her heart.

 _But is this a promise I can keep…?_

… … …

The night passed on, Taiyaki having returned to his room. He knew that he was going to bed, but there were a few… reports, he had to make.

The buzz of a pager in his belongings was the signal, and he retrieved the item, pressing a button to open up a screen. On the other end, an older Octoling came onto the screen. "Captain Taiyaki, good evening."

"Good evening, Captain Purin," Taiyaki replied. "How's things over in Octo Canyon?"

"Tch, it could be way better," the Elite Octoling said. "Seeing as how that damned Agent 4 locked up DJ Octavio, us Octolings have been forced into hiding once more."

"Speaking of Agent 4…" Taiyaki said with a smirk. "I have a little bit of news regarding her."

"Oh? Do tell," Purin had said, and Taiyaki could hear a devilish chuckle in her voice.

"You see…" Taiyaki began. "I have a plan that will reveal her location to you guys."

"Truly? That's quite the achievement, Captain," Purin had said with a chuckle. "What's this plan of yours?"

"Well, I'm actually sharing a small apartment with her," Taiyaki said. "And, she's quite the naive type. So…"

As he continued to explain, Purin's face lit up. "Oh, that sounds glorious. When should we start?"

"Give me time, give me time," Taiyaki said. "I'll contact you once we're ready to exact the plan. Stay strong out there."

"You too," Purin said, and the channel was closed. A smirk creeped onto Taiyaki's face as he hummed, checking the time. 5 AM. Perhaps he could begin right now…

Dressing himself, he stepped out of his room, and his breath hitched. There he was, staring at him right in the face.

Agent 3.

*: A headcanon I have is that cooler colors, due to how rare they are in the grand scheme of the gene pool, are known to be quite appealing; it's a symbol of strength and liveliness, just like in the wild.


End file.
